The question asks us to choose the most appropriate word to fill in blank number 5 in the given passage. The passage talks about a 94-year-old woman, Harbhajan, who started making and selling barfi at her age and has achieved success. The sentence with blank 5 is: "This 94-year-old woman (5)______ that it’s never too late to do a start-up."

Analyzing Blank Number 5 in the Passage

The sentence needs a verb that describes what the 94-year-old woman has done regarding the idea that "it's never too late to do a start-up". Given her success in starting a business at her age, she serves as an example or evidence supporting this idea.

Evaluating the Options for Blank 5

Let's look at the provided options and consider how each fits grammatically and contextually:

1. has proved: This is the present perfect tense. It is used for an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past or started in the past and continues to the present, often with a result that is relevant now. Harbhajan's actions (starting a business and succeeding) are past events, but they serve as ongoing proof in the present that it's never too late. This fits the context well.
2. was proved: This is the simple past tense in the passive voice. It means that someone or something else proved the woman. This doesn't make sense in the context; the woman is the one providing the proof through her actions.
3. had been proving: This is the past perfect continuous tense. It describes an action that continued for a period up to a specific point in the past. While she was actively proving this idea by running her business, the sentence structure "woman ______ that" suggests a completed action of demonstrating or establishing the truth of the statement, not an action that was ongoing up to another past point. It's also less direct than the simple proof her existence and success provides.
4. is proved: This is the simple present tense in the passive voice. Similar to "was proved", it implies the woman is being proven by someone or something else, which is not the intended meaning. Also, using the simple present passive for a completed action of demonstration is generally incorrect unless it's a general truth being stated passively. Here, her life is the active proof.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Option

Considering the analysis, the present perfect tense, "has proved," is the most suitable choice. Her success at 94 is a completed action (starting and running the business) that provides proof (a result relevant in the present) that it is never too late for a start-up. She, through her actions and example, has demonstrated the truth of that statement.

Therefore, the sentence reads: "This 94-year-old woman has proved that it’s never too late to do a start-up."

Revision Table: Understanding Verb Tenses

Additional Information: Active vs. Passive Voice

Understanding active and passive voice is crucial for choosing the correct verb form.

• In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. Example: "She proved the point." (She is the subject, performing the action of proving).
• In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. Example: "The point was proved by her." (The point is the subject, receiving the action of being proved).

In the sentence from the passage, "This 94-year-old woman (5)______ that...", the woman is the subject, and she is doing the action of demonstrating or establishing the truth of the statement about start-ups. Therefore, an active voice verb form is needed, which eliminates options 2 ("was proved") and 4 ("is proved"). Among the active voice options (1 and 3), "has proved" fits the context of a completed action with present relevance better than "had been proving".